Improvement in paper-holders



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS OBTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN. PAPER-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,160, dated December 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS OEToN, of

i Chicago, in the county of `Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Paper-Holders, of which the following is a specification:

Nature of the Invention.

This invention relates to a device for hold-l ing paper in position to write upon; and the binvention consists of a flat bed-plate, from which arises at right angles thereto, and of the same width, approximatively, a wall or backing, against which the edges of the sheets of paper are placed to align and retain them from spreading out in fan shape when the holder is applied, which consists of a sharp instrument with a knife-edge driven down through the mass of paper by means of a screw or other means playing through an arm extending out over the bed-plate from the l vertical wall; all of which will be more fully hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, Figure l repre- Y sents a vertical central section of the holder General Description.

A represents the bed-plate, which is furnished with a lug, a, at the rear, by which to fasten it, if desired, to the desk or table. B is the vertical wall rising from the rear edge of the bed-plate and carrying the arm C, which projects to the front over said bedplate. D is a thumb-screw playing in an aperture in the arm C. E is a knife-blade pivoted to the thumb-screw D by the pivot e. The point of this blade is sharpened upon two edges, and the said blade is held from turning with the thumb-screw by the shape of the aperture in the arm C, through which it passes, so that when the blade is forced into the paper F it will stand with its cuttingedge toward the wall B. Said blade is caused to descend through the pile of paper, and the point enters an aperture, d, in the bed-plate.

Now, when it is desired to remove the upper sheet from the pile of paper so secured the sheet will pull away readily without tearing out a piece, as the knife-blade cuts its way out smoothly, leaving simply a slit instead of a piece torn out, which would injure the paper, and beside discommode the clip by wedging between the piercer and the Wall.

The present invention, although applicable to all the general purposes of a letter clip or le, is yet more especially adapted for holding squarely and rmly the pile of single sheets used by telegraph operators in trann scribing messages received.

By reason of the square back wall the pile of sheets is held from sliding upon one an other and assuming a fan-like shape, by rea son of the operators arm pressing against them, as would otherwise occur. Such a clip is not likely to become loose or allow the sheets to escape, as some clips do; nor is it likely to become out of order or disarranged in any Way.

It is obvious that the knife-blade may be made to descend without turning by attaching toits upper extremity a screw, operated upon 'by' a nut held by a collar to the .arm C, so that the screw will pass up and down through said nut, and the shape of the aperture at the lower port-ion of the arm C may be such as to prevent the knife from turning. This I regard as an equivalent construction to that shown in the drawing, although not so cheaply manufactured.

Claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The knife-blade E, arranged to descend with the cutting-edge toward the wall B, in combination with the bed-plate A, wall B, and arm C, substantially as specified, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the bed-plate A, wall B, and arm C, ofthe screw D and knife blade E, arranged to descend without revolving, substantially as specified and shown.

THOS. ORTON.

Witnesses:

J. `W. MUNDAY, HEINRICH F. BRUNs. 

